Colorado’s Travis Hunter just joined a Penn State legend in NFL Draft history with blockbuster trade

The Jacksonville Jaguars shook up the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft in a big way on Thursday night, trading the No. 5 overall pick, a fourth-round pick, a sixth-round pick, and next year’s first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for the No. 2 overall selection and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. 

The two-way star out of Colorado is an unprecedented prospect with his potential to play full-time on both sides of the ball in the NFL, but Jacksonville’s draft-night trade did have some precedent, and it includes a Penn State legend. 

Travis Hunter trade evokes memories of Ki-Jana Carter in 1995

Only four times in NFL history has a team traded up into the top two picks of the NFL Draft for a non-quarterback: 

• 1995: Cincinnati Bengals 1st overall: Ki-Jana Carter, RB
• 1997: Oakland Raiders 2nd overall: Darrell Russell, DT
• 1997: St. Louis Rams 1st overall: Orlando Pace, OT
• 2025: Jacksonville Jaguars 2nd overall: Travis Hunter, WR/DB

30 years ago, when the Bengals moved up for Carter after his legendary Rose Bowl performance for Penn State, Cincinnati gave up much less to move up four spots from No. 5 than the Jaguars did to move up three spots from No. 5. 

With such a hefty price paid for Hunter, the Jaguars will hope for a better career from their new star than the Bengals got from Carter. The former Penn State running back suffered a devastating knee injury that caused him to miss the entire 1995 season. Then, he carried the ball just 91 times in his first season on the field, failed to clear 500 yards in Year 2, and played just four games across the 1998 and 1999 seasons.

Carter would have been more successful in the league had he stayed healthy, and that will be the key for Hunter, who played the most snaps of any player in college football last season as a full-time cornerback and wide receiver.